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Career Advice - Breaking Down the Door to Marketing Agencies

by mct1274
3 replies
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Hey There!

I'm looking for some career advice, I'm not going to bore you with a detailed description of my resume and what career goals I hope to achieve in the next 10+ years. This is merely me just asking around for those of you that enjoy the world of marketing and may or may not have been fortunate enough to obtain a career in the industry.

A little about me and my background:
I'm 24 year old female that graduate with a B.S. in marketing/management from UNH in 2013. During college the economy was finally starting to pull itself out of the shithole that it was and it was incredibly difficult to find any kind of marketing/management internship during that time. My junior year, I was fortunate enough to land a summer internship at a financial firm in NH. The last summer of my college career I decided to look into marketing agencies, but there still wasn't anything available. My previous summer internship contacted me and asked if I would like to return for another year of interning. Of course I jumped at the opportunity because it was a great place to work. Fast forward to the spring and I was frantically looking for marketing jobs to apply to after college, everything required at least 5+ years of industry experience which as a soon to be recent grad I couldn't provide them. I still applied and continued to receive the cold shoulder from potential employers because I was viewed as an inexperienced undergrad. And then as if it was a miracle my internship offered me a full time position at their firm (finance industry). After being stressed out for months I accepted the job with a smile on my face.

Now it is 2015, I was promoted about 4 months ago and am currently doing performance analyst work. While I'm still somewhat happy at my current position I find that my enthusiasm for the job is dwindling. I have been searching for marketing jobs again and now that the economy is better there are more marketing firms in NH than ever before and they are hiring! However, I can't help but kick myself because I feel that my window of opportunity is closing for any kind of marketing job. I know I have what it takes to be a great employee for these firms. I just feel that I can't break into the industry now that I don't have an internship or any agency experience under my belt. I am a very fast learner and I know that if I got my foot in the door for an interview I would crush it and they would be able to see that I still have a knack for marketing just like I did when I was in college. I want them to see me as an outsider that could possibly provide a new outlook on things and with a willing to learn attitude. Industry experience seems relative to me, I think these companies need to start looking out of the box with their creative minds to see what else is out there.

The real question is: How do I break down the door to these marketing agencies?
  • Profile picture of the author Mark Singletary
    Originally Posted by mct1274 View Post

    The real question is: How do I break down the door to these marketing agencies?
    Since you say you feel your window of opportunity is closing, I'm going to just talk straight with you if that is okay. Learn how to market yourself to them. Prove you know what you are doing.

    If you only had one envelope and one piece of paper to use to get in the door for a meeting to sell your product or service to a doctor, lawyer, trampoline manufacturer, insurance agency, etc. what would you say in the letter? You get one shot to get in the door or the deal is lost.

    Use that same approach with your resume, cover letter, and any interactions with the company.

    I've seen all kinds of little subtle things that can stand out. For example, most people put their Gmail or Outlook email address on their materials. But what if, instead, you bought a domain name and had an email account set up on it for a more possibly professional look? You talk in your post about thinking outside the box but can you do it in your job search? Can you do it on a cover letter or resume?

    Learn how to market in every day life. Learn how to persuade and get people to your side.

    You, no offense intended, are like me - a little too long winded in telling your story if you use the same approach you did here. Marketing 101 says that not a living soul cares enough about you or your job to read it all (even though some will). People want to know what is in it for them. Even answering this post I get something - maybe someone will think I'm smart or clever or remember my name when I have something to sell to this group of people.

    Use power words. Build your self confidence by getting the things done you plan to do. Always be changing and growing.

    No one wants to hire someone that gets bored so easily - no matter how long it's been. We want to know that you are the kind of person that will stick by us through thick and thin if we are going to invest in you.

    Be realistic about your problems. When you graduated there were no openings anywhere in all of NH in marketing? That's what it sounds like and I don't believe it for a second. You didn't have the gumption to go find what was available. The right marketer would have made an employer want to create a new job, if there wasn't one, to fit them in because they are so good and it showed in every word and every facial expression and every thing they did.

    There are a lot of places out there that can give you some killer advice. Most people here have not worked in marketing in the real world, I would say, so this may not be the best place to get real world, real marketing career advice.

    Good luck to you.
    Mark
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  • Profile picture of the author Cali16
    Mark just gave you some superb advice!

    My only addition to what he said is this: Why are you limiting yourself to marketing firms in NH???
    Signature
    If you don't face your fears, the only thing you'll ever see is what's in your comfort zone. ~Anne McClain, astronaut
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    • Profile picture of the author mct1274
      Wow Mark that was really helpful and you definitely gave me some of the pointers I needed to hear.

      Cali to answer your question: I really love the Seascoast area in NH and can't really picture myself living in the hustle and bustle of a city like Boston even though it is beautiful. I'm not set in stone about it though.
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